Aerosol dispenser construction



Sept. 17, 1968 H. HANSON, JR

AEROSOL DISPENSER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1967 IIIIIIH 3Q IN VENTOR Mrrve 7ans0rz I. 59

Sept. 17, 1968 H. HANSON, JR

AEROSOL DISPENSER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1967 v a m g q m R Q H mm Nm m l k MN United States Patent F 3,401,838 AEROSOL DISPENSER CONSTRUCTION Harvey Hanson, Jr., Summit, Ill., assignor to Valve Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 9, 1967, Ser. No. 644,982 11 Claims. (Cl. 222136) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure illustrates and describes a dispensing device having an outer receptacle and an inner pressurized receptacle, which upon actuation of the valve assembly discharges the contents of the inner receptacle into the outer receptacle for dispensing to atmosphere from the outer receptacle through the valve assembly. The outer receptacle contains a flowable material which is relatively incompatible during periods of extended contact with the contents of the inner pressurized receptacle.

Related applications (1) Application Ser. No. 556,039, filed June 8, 1966. (2) Copending application Ser. No. 644,983, entitled, Leakproof Aerosol Construct-ion, filed on June 9, 1967.

Background of the invention This invention relates to dispensing devices of the pres surized type in which the material to be dispensed is relatively incompatible with a second material. Such incompatibility exists, for example, where a desirable propellant when mixed with the material to be dispensed will cause the material to degenerate or decompose or otherwise adversely affect its characteristics during a storage period. Such incompatibility also exists where the material to be dispensed is polymerizable and the second material contains an ingredient to polymerize the material. Other examples of such incompatibilty are known to those in the art.

For those and other reasons, pressurized or aerosol dispensing devices having separate compartments have been developed. Exemplary of such devices are those shown in United States Patents Nos. 3,096,001 and 3,181,737. In each, separate receptacles for a catalyst and a polymerizable material are shown, each being adapted to dispense the separate ingredients together.

In accordance with this invention a pressurized dispenser is provided having two separate receptacles, one housed inside the other, to the end that the dispensing device may assume the size and shape of a substantially standard size aerosol dispenser. A valve assembly is provided which when opened causes the contents of the inner propellant receptacle to flow into the outer receptacle for mixing with the contents of the outer receptacle, and the mixture then simultaneously to fiow through the valve assembly and the discharge outlet of -a spray tip mounted on the valve assembly. The dispenser provided in accordance with this invention is compact, and operates efficiently. It utilizes a single valve assembly to cause the separate ingredients to become intermixed and then to dispense simultaneously the intermixed ingredients.

Further purposes and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings.

Brief description of drawings FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a dispensing device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 1 showing the valve assembly in its closed position;

3,401,838 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the valve assembly in its open position; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the valve assembly.

In the drawings, an outer receptacle 11 comprises a cylindrical wall '12 and a bottom wall 13 having its outer edge portion sealingly crimped to the lower edge portion of the cylindrical wall. The upper edge portion 14 of the receptacle 11 converges upwardly and defines a central portion '15 sealingly seating an inner receptacle '16. Inner receptacle 16 has an open top, coincident with central portion 15, that is sealingly closed by a mounting cup 18. The outer edge of the mounting cup is provided with a curled head 19 that is crimpingly secured to head 22 of the inner receptacle. Mounting cup head 19 is sealingly seated in central portion 15. p

The mounting cup has an upwardly embossed center portion 24 comprising an annular flat top wall 25 and a depending skirt 26 having an inwardly extending annular head 27 spaced from the top wall 25. The flat top wall 25 defines an opening 29 through which the upper stem end of a valve assembly 31 extends. The valve assembly 31 includes a valve stem 28 defining a transverse orifice 32 in fiow communication with a longitudinal bore 33 extending downwardly through the valve assembly from the inner end of orifice 32. Valve assembly 31 defines a second transverse orifice 34 in flow communication with a longitudinal bore 35 extending upwardly through the valve stem 28 from the inner end of the orifice 34. A spray tip 36 mounted on the upper end of the valve stem 28 has a discharge outlet 37 in flow communication with the upper end of longitudinal bore 35.

The valve assembly 31 includes a supporting tubular shell 38 having a cylindrical wall 39, an annular base 41 extending inwardly from the lower end of the wall 39 and a tailpiece '42 depending from the inner edge of the base 41. Shell 38 is constructed in conformity with the principles described and illustrated in copending application Ser. No. 556,039, filed on June 8, 1966. Radially disposed ribs 43 provide an annular seat for a compression spring 44. The inner vertical edges of the rib 43 are tapered, as indicated at 45, to facilitate positioning the spring 44 which encircles the upper end of a tube 46 that is sealingly secured to the lower end of the valve body and that depends therefrom. The upper end of the spring 44 bears againstshoulder 47 of valve body 50 adjacent the lower end of the valve assembly 31. Shell 38 includes an upstanding rim 48 extending upwardly above the upper edge of the cylindrical wall 39. Rim 48 is secured to the outer edge of an integral annular web 49 extending outwardly from the cylindrical wall. The bead 27 of the mounting cup engages the underside of the rim 48 to support the tubular shell in spaced relationship with respect to the top wall 25 of the mounting cup.

An upper annular sealing gasket 51 that encircles stem 28 is positioned against the underside of top wall 25, and a lower annular sealing gasket 52, that also encircles stem 28, is seated on the upper edge of the cylindrical wall 39 with its outer edge being space-d from the inner surface of rim 48. An annular disk 53 is interposed between gaskets 51 and 52. Disk 53 has a central opening 54 larger than the portion of the stem 28 it encircles, and a plurality of radial grooves 55 extending from the opening 54 across its entire underside. Grooves 55 are in flow communication with the opening 54, which in turn is in flow communication with orifice 32 when the valve assembly is in its open position. The web 49 is provided with spaced vertical apertures 56 which are in flow communication with radial grooves 55 thereby providing a flow passageway from the inner receptacle through the orifice 32, longitudinal bore 33 and tube 46. Tube 46 extends through an opening 57 sealingly lined by a fitting 58 mounted in the bottom wall 59 of the inner receptacle 16, and terminates adjacent the bottom wall 13 of the outer receptacle. The lower end of the tube 46 thereby provides flow communication between the inner receptacle and the outer receptacle when the valve assembly is in its open position.

The tube 46 is surrounded by a dip tube 62, the upper end of which is sealingly secured to the outer surface of the tailpiece 42. Dip tube 62 fits snugly within fitting 58 to seal the opening 57 to prevent any flow between the inner and outer receptacles except that established by tube 46. The lower end of tube '62 terminates near the bottom wall 13.

The annular space 64 between the outer surface of the tube 46 and the inner surface of the tube 62 provides a flow path between the outer receptacle and the tubular shell 38. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer surface 65 of valve body 56 is spaced from the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 39 to permit flow communication between the tubular shell and orifice 34 when the valve assembly is in its open position.

As seen in FIG. 2, orifice 32 is sealed from the communication with inner receptacle by sealing gasket 51. At that time, the lower face of gasket 51 is in fiow communication with the interior of inner receptacle 16 via apertures 56 and grooves 55. Orifice 34 is sealed from the atmosphere by sealing gasket 52 to prevent leakage of the contents of the outer receptacle and to prevent the admission of air into the outer receptacle. Valve body 50 also sealingly engages the lower surface of gasket 52 beneath orifice 34 while the upper end of the cylindrical portion 39 of shell 38 sealingly engages the lower surface of gasket 52 to preclude flow communication between the contents of the inner and outer receptacles.

When valve assembly 31 is in its open position, as seen in FIG. 3, shoulder 47 of valve body 50 contacts the upper edges of ribs 43 to preclude depressing the valve body and stem to a point where orifice 32 would sealingly engage gasket 52. When opened, as in FIG. 3, the pressurized contents of the inner receptacle flow, in the manner described, into tube 46 and into the outer receptacle to mix with and pressurize the contents of the outer receptacle. As the contents become pressurized, the intermixed materials are urged upwardly through annular space 64, through shell 38, beneath gasket 52, through orifice 34 and bore 35 and out the discharge outlet 37 of spray tip 36.

The materials in the respective receptacles may be of various types and may be use-d for a variety of purposes. Thus, for example, where the material in the outer receptacle is polymerizable, a catalyst may be contained in the inner receptacle for discharge with the propellant into the outer receptacle. It is apparent that the construction of this invention lends itself to a wide range of uses and to use with a wide variety of materials.

Although a single preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of construction may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A valve assembly secured to a dispensing container, said valve assembly comprising a shell and a valve body and stem means projecting outwardly of said dispensing container for securance to a spray tip, said valve body and stem means defining a pair of separate longitudinal bores, each terminating internally of said valve assembly in separate lateral orifices in sealing engagement with stem encircling sealing gasket means, said bores opening at opposite ends of said valve body and stem means.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 in which said sealing gasket means comprise separate gaskets spaced longitudinally along said stem means, a first of said sealing gaskets being in sealed engagement with an upper edge portion of said shell and being spaced from said second sealing gasket by a disc defining flow path means for a first fluid over said first sealing gasket and beneath said second sealing gasket.

3. The valve assembly of claim 2 in which said lateral orifices are openable simultaneously upon depressing of said valve body and stem.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1 in which one of said bores opens into a tube secured to the end of said valve body remote from said stem.

5. The valve assembly of claim 4 in which a dip tube is secured to the lower end of said shell, said tube circumscribing said dip tube to define an annular space therebetween.

6. In a unitary dispensing container for mixing two materials to be dispensed and to be maintained apart until they are to be dispensed, a first receptacle and a second receptacle sealingly secured within said first receptacle, a valve assembly secured to said receptacles and having a stem projecting outwardly of said receptacles, said stem defining a first bore opening at one end outwardly of said container for discharging to the atmosphere, and opening at its other end internally of said valve assembly, said valve assembly including sealing gasket means for sealing said other end from communication with said receptacles when said valve assembly is in a closed position, a valve body, said valve body and stem defining a second bore opening at each end internally of said valve assembly, said second bore being in fiuid communication with one of said receptacles and being out of communication with the atmosphere when said valve assembly is in closed position.

7. In the unitary dispensing container of claim 6, wherein said bores open at opposite ends of said valve body and stem.

8. In the unitary dispensing container of claim 7 wherein said bores are longitudinal bores, each terminating in transverse orifices, said orifices being longitudinally spaced from each other, said orifices being sealed closed when said valve assembly is in closed position by separate gaskets comprising said sealing gasket means.

9. A dispensing container comprising an outer receptacle adapted to hold flowable material to be dispensed, an inner receptacle seated within said outer receptacle and adapted to hold a pressurized propellant out of contact with said flowable material, closure means secured to said container for sealing said receptacles, a valve assembly including a stem means extending through said closure means, a spray tip mounted on the outer end of said stem means and having a discharge outlet, at first conduit in flow communication with said inner receptacle and leading to said outer receptacle, and a second conduit leading from said outer receptacle to said discharge outlet, means interrupting flow communication through both of said conduits when said stem means is in a first position, whereby when said stem means is moved to a second position the propellant will flow into said outer receptacle through said first conduit, mixes with said flowable material, and the mixture will then flow from said outer receptacle through said second conduit and out of said discharge outlet.

10. A dispensing container as recited in claim 9, in which said valve assembly defines an orifice extending transversely from one side of said stem means and a longitudinal bore extending from said orifice downwardly through the lower end of said valve assembly, each of said orifice and bore constituting a part of said first conduit, and a second orifice extending transversely from one side of said stern means and a second longitudinal bore extending from said second orifice upwardly into direct flow communication with said discharge outlet, each of said second bore and orifice constituting a part of said second conduit.

11. A dispensing container as recited in claim 10 in 5 6 which said first conduit includes a first tube extending References Cited from sald first mentioned longitudinal bore into sald outer UNITED STATES PATENTS receptacle and a second tube surrounding sald first tube and having direct flow communication with said second 2,973,885 3/1961 Ferguson 222-399 orifice when said valve assembly is in open position, each 5 3,217,936 11/ 1965 Abplanalp 222136 of said tubes opening adjacent the lower internal end of said outer receptacle, STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner. 

